Martin has had a long and distinguished career at the British Council, from which he will soon retire to focus on writing and consultancy. He was until recently Country Director of the British Council, developing the Council’s work in the Maghreb during and after the ‘Arab Spring’ events. His previous posts were in Iraq, Europe and North America. Martin has an MPhil in Modern Middle Eastern Studies from St Anthony’s College Oxford, and has lived in Egypt and Jordan. He is married to Georgina and has four children.

Martin writes:

I am delighted and honoured to have been appointed Chair at this time, and I look forward to serving BAX as usefully as I can.

The Middle East has always been my first love, and I don’t think there has ever been a time in my life when the awful fragility of the region, and its uncertain future, have been more preoccupying. Millions of refugees have been displaced by war in Syria, Yemen and Iraq: many risk life and limb to come to Europe. Violence engulfs Libya and disrupts Egypt; Palestine remains a volatile focus of profound and unresolved tensions and injustices.

It is clear to me that we need to be opening up, and keeping open, every possible channel of communication and friendship that we can, every possible opportunity for understanding. We are all human, and we live in a shared world.

The people of the Middle East, our near neighbours, need our understanding more than ever – and we need, just as urgently, to understand. There is no substitute for personal acquaintance, friendship and knowledge. This is a growing, crying need. Without individual knowledge of individual people, it is all too easy to fall into categories and stereotypes. BAX has much to contribute to that individual and mutual knowledge. I look forward to being involved in that as BAX evolves into its next phase.